Right this moment, Ferrari wasted a possible pole place within the qualifying session for the System 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. In addition to this considerably aggressive assertion, let’s calmly clarify the explanations. After yesterday’s session, we had outlined the Ferrari as a automotive with good stability however nonetheless with some margin to extract. The automotive had a sure diploma of understeer, particularly within the first sector, whereas within the third sector, it confirmed some issues within the ninth nook. Along with this, there was additionally intensive work from the drivers in understanding the right way to finest exploit the SF-24 all through the lap.
The Maranello group made some changes to the setup of the SF24 single-seater with the intention to tackle sure essential areas associated to the observe. They did this by managing the understeer points in Flip 1, though they weren’t capable of utterly get rid of this conduct. In Flip 5, each Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz might have been tighter on entry, reaching the apex and making use of energy earlier. Some work was performed right here to advance the mechanical stability, enhancing the lateral load switch on entry. Flip 5 is a really technical and complicated nook for everybody.
There was fine-tuning in Flip 9, the place it appears they labored on the vertical stiffness of the automotive. Particularly, Ferrari labored on the so-called bump-stop, lowering the suspension journey. This restricted the vertical motion of the automotive. The truth is, we had identified that in Flip 9, through the peak lateral load, there was a little bit of porpoising from the ground, which was barely noticeable in the present day. Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz made higher use of the automotive on this part, getting into and navigating far more tightly.
On exit, nonetheless, they continued to cowl extra distance than the McLaren, which remained the automotive to beat on this side. Within the third sector, the Ferrari automobiles arrived with barely overheated tires. Because of this, work was performed on the tire warm-up technique. After evaluating between yesterday and in the present day, the chosen tactic was to begin the lap with 3°C much less on the rear tires. The entrance proper tire was completely at temperature, specifically no delta, whereas the left was 2°C decrease.
The fitting entrance tire was on the right temperature for a transparent cause: to supply the tires with the power to restrict understeer within the first nook of the observe. Nevertheless, on the end line, each Ferrari automobiles arrived with an excessive amount of warmth on the rear. The rear was 16°C above the goal, whereas the entrance proper was practically 20°C above. A state of affairs that, as we are able to think about, severely restricted Ferrari’s efficiency, as they didn’t have the required grip to take care of optimum efficiency.
McLaren did what it needed to, nevertheless it wasn’t sooner. That is additionally evident from the errors made by the drivers throughout qualifying and even through the lap that in the end put them on the entrance row. Lando Norris made a small mistake in Flip 9 and, within the part beneath the lodge, made small corrections on the steering wheel on entry, indicating that the rear was a bit too sizzling. Total, they have been quick, although. They confirmed yesterday’s aerodynamic setup with a medium-load wing. When it comes to high speeds, they’re not on par with Ferrari, however barely behind.
On the varied straights, the pink automotive at all times gained. On the finish of the straight resulting in Flip 6, McLaren arrived on the braking zone 5 km/h slower than the Italian automotive. This can be an vital information level for tomorrow’s race. The general dealing with was good within the high-speed corners, they usually centered on low-speed corners. In Flip 1, they have been at all times wonderful, with a lot much less understeer than the SF-24, however in Flip 5, they typically misplaced the apex, masking extra distance. Solely in Q3, on the ultimate try, did the drivers handle to regulate this issue, although they confirmed imperfect traction.
All of this meant that, each in S1 and S2, the automobiles competing for the Constructors’ Championship have been on par. The figuring out issue for pole place was the third sector, the place the Ferrari was affected by an excessive amount of overheating. McLaren additionally had a sure diploma of overheating, however the Ferrari drivers didn’t handle it nicely. Sainz might have performed higher when it comes to sensitivity, contemplating the varied wonderful laps throughout qualifying, the place the 2 Ferrari drivers have been capable of handle the automotive higher in S3, despite the fact that they have been removed from the optimum temperatures.
Lastly, let’s discuss Purple Bull, which many thought might take pole place. Nothing could possibly be farther from the reality, or quite, it will have been unattainable with out Max Verstappen, who at all times brings a variety of his personal expertise. The automotive maintained a stage of understeer that was virtually “continual,” though considerably lowered in comparison with yesterday. Already in Flip 1, the automotive was not at all times dealing with nicely, and in Flip 5, Max virtually by no means managed to hit the apex. Then, within the 6-7 chicane, he utilized an excessive amount of steering angle on throttle, making it ineffective. In Flip 9, he entered nicely, nevertheless it was as if the entrance finish was locked, dragging him to the surface.
For that reason, the Purple Bull pushed by the four-time System 1 World Champion was pressured to cowl far more distance than its direct rivals. In his good lap, Max Verstappen had nonetheless managed to place collectively many small “miracles,” however he threw all of it away on the final nook, the place he was unable to regulate his automotive as he had performed earlier. To conclude, allow us to look at the info associated to the of splendid instances, obtained by summing one of the best sector instances for every driver and evaluating them with a reference lap, which was obtained by summing one of the best general sectors.
As we are able to see from the info, Max Verstappen was 0.36 seconds off absolutely the efficiency and, basically, was removed from having the ability to declare pole place. The Purple Bull driver complained rather a lot about affected by so-called “beneath rotation” within the sooner sections of the Emirati observe. This attribute, in flip, triggered overheating of the entrance axle and compromised his efficiency within the last sector. We additionally see that the standings largely align with the grid, with Nico Hülkenberg even setting the quickest time within the center sector.
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